This invention relates generally to an apparatus for processing the yarn ends of cops supplied to an automatic winder, and specifically to an apparatus wherein cops may be fed automatically into the magazine of each winding unit from a cop feeder adapted to travel along the winder, and in which the yarn ends of the cops thus fed may be drawn out and gripped automatically.
Heretofore, when cops were supplied to each magazine of a winding unit of an automatic thread winder, it was necessary for an operator to attend to each winder in order to monitor those magazines which were empty. It was also necessary for the operator to manually draw out the yarn ends one by one and supply the same to the yarn suction opening of the yarn clamp which then gripped the yarn ends by a suction effect. Because such manual operation required considerable time and labor, such winder operations are deemed to be less than completely satisfactory.
Heretofore the use of a mechanical device having a rotating brush or a hook for engaging the bunch winding and drawing out the yarn end, or a suction-type device adapted for drawing out the yarn end through the aid of a suction nozzle have been attempted. However such devices have been unreliable and often cause deteriorated cop quality. Moreover, a number of steps of manual operation were still required for gripping the yarn ends of cops by such suction devices which were mounted in the central part of the magazine. Additionally, often the bunch winding of the cop would cling to the neighboring components of the apparatus. In such devices, the air flow caused by such suction clamps caused a turbulence along the surface of the cop thus causing nap formation on the cop thereby adversely affecting the quality of the cop. Because air flow caused by the vacuum was supplied through a filter provided in the suction nozzle, the effective force of the suction was significantly reduced by the accumulation of the waste yarn in the filter. Thus it was necessary to interrupt the operation of such apparatus to open the filter section and remove the waste yarn each time that the force of the suction was reduced causing expensive down time and increased operating costs.